Cadet

Nine

"Please tell me you're good at math." I approach Aki at our after school meeting spot, grudgingly carrying the massive folder that Mrs. Brook had given me. Aki must see my bad mood because his smile of greeting shifts to concern.

"What happened?" He asks, glancing at the folder.

"Apparently, I'm not trying hard enough." I hold up the assignments. "This is all due Monday; can you believe that?" I sigh. "Can you help me?"

"I can try, but I have some plans this weekend." Aki shrugs his shoulder. "One of my parents might be able to help."

"It's fine. I'm sure I can figure it out with some well-planned googling." I hug the folder to my chest, beginning to walk. Aki doesn't follow. "Aki?"

"I, uh, actually have somewhere to be."

I turn to him, very curious. "What?"

Aki looks embarrassed. "I joined the robotics team; they meet on Fridays."

"Right. So every Friday I'm gonna be walking home alone?"

"Is that okay?"

"Why wouldn't it be. Have fun." I turn away, walking out the school. I pat my pocket, making sure my knife was still there. Thankfully, I'm still armed just in case something happens. I don't usually get jumped when it's still broad daylight out, but 'usual' just means sometimes in places like Comrado. Just like how usually Holly's pretty nice to me. 

"Cade, wait up!"

I turn to the familiar voice, shocked to see Echo approaching me. I can't  remember the last time he referred to me by name, so I stand in stillness while he jogs up.

"I saw what Mrs. Brooks did back there; I'm really sorry."

"Don't worry about it." I shrug. "I don't think she likes me very much, if I'm being honest."

"No kidding. If it makes you feel any better, Mrs. Brooks doesn't really like anyone. In first term she gave me a B just because I didn't 'turn in' one of my assignments. I'm pretty sure she lost it."

"Or maybe you lost it," I tease, then laugh softly. He chuckles, nodding, and I realize Holly would literally kill me if she saw me standing with Echo. "Uh, I should probably get going," I say, turning and holding the folder.

"Do you need any help with those assignments?" Echo asks before I can even take a step. "I'm pretty good at math..."

"No, I-" I stop. I desperately needed help and I don't know if Momo or Ame could help me with it. I don't know the extent of their education, but Aki has hinted that neither of them made it very far in college. Taking a deep breath, I look at Echo. "Actually, could you help me? I'm kinda really dumb."

Echo grins. "Don't worry about it. I'd be happy to help."

I sigh in relief. "Thank God. Mrs. Brooks seems to think that I know all the answers but just don't care enough when really I don't know anything because at my old school---" I cut myself off; no one wanted to hear about my life before, least of all Echo.

"At your old school...?"

"Never mind." I shake my head. "Let's go to the library."

Echo pauses. "Actually, there's somewhere I wanna take you...if you haven't been there yet."

"Where?" I ask.

Echo shrugs. "It's called the Shake Shack. It's kind of the best place in Comrado...we don't exactly have much, though."

I nod. "Alright then. Let's go."

---------

The Shake Shack looks pretty normal from the outside. A wood building - or, at least, a building painted to look like wood - adorned with fairy lights and a cute and modern sign. Echo holds the door for me and I go in to the smell of french fries. "Mmm," I hum, smiling. "I love french fries."

"You're gonna love the shakes more, lemme tell ya." Echo chuckles. "I can pay for you."

"Oh no." I shake my head. "You're already tutoring me, just let me pay for myself..." I hold the folder of papers between my arm and my side, using my open hand to grab my beat up wallet out of my pocket. I had a five dollar bill and that was about it.

"If you say so." Echo steps up to order, but I'd hardly had the chance to look at the menu. I note that I want some fries - but there's so many choices! - and then I take a glance at the extensive smoothie list. 

"Next!" The cashier calls and I step forward shakily.

"Um, I'll have some regular fries and then a, uh..." I look over the list, quickly trying to decide while my heart rate spiked and I felt like I might explode from embarrassment. One flavor catches my eye and I say it as soon as possible. "And a strawberry banana smoothie, please."

The cashier smiles, unaware of my silent struggle. "Alright, that'll be $4.56. Can I get a name for the order?"

"Um, Cade." I hand over the five dollar bill, taking the change she gave me and stuffing it into my pocket as soon as possible.

"Thank you, Cade, have a wonderful day!" The cashier dismisses me cheerfully and I walk over to where Echo was sitting at a booth.

"What did you get?" He asks me.

"Um, strawberry banana....I think."

"You think?"

"I kinda ordered the first thing I saw." I set the folder down in between us, sitting down and staring down at the mountain of work I had to do over the weekend. "Why am I so bad at math?"

"Not everyone's good at everything," Echo says, shrugging. "I'm not very good at History, honestly."

"Me neither." I look at the folders in front of me, silence falling between us. Since I skipped a lot of school when I 'moved,' I'm very behind and it's not the most ideal situation. I'm a slow learner and one on one instruction with a teacher was not my ideal situation. Hopefully, with Echo it was a little different. "Well, um, so....to be honest, I have literally no idea what we've covered in class this year and-"

"Echo! And....Cade!" A worker comes out, carrying two trays in her hands. Echo raises his hand, and I follow his lead. The worker comes over, setting down our fries and drinks.

"Thank you," Echo says and I just nod, looking at the table.

"Have a wonderful day!" The worker smiles and walks off. I take a look at the pink drink in front of me, stirring the straw. There were bits of strawberry and banana within it. Interesting.

"Just try it already." Echo laughs.

"I'm working up to it." I smile, then bring the drink to my lips, sipping through the straw.

Oh. My. Gosh.

"This is..really good." I grin, taking another sip. "I could drink this for ten years straight."

Echo smiles. "I told you you would like it."

"Yeah..Thanks. Now, uh, as much as I'd love to just eat french fries and drink this...I need to do all of these by Monday so...back to business."

Echo adjusts the cap on top of his head. "Back to business."